'Disappointed': Land bank acquisition of Lowry Middle School falls through; owners to develop property

Plans to transfer ownership and develop the abandoned Lowry Middle School in North Tonawanda have fallen through. Current ownership says that it will develop the property itself.

In September, members of the countys land bank, Niagara Orleans Regional Land Improvement Corporation (NORLIC), told me that they were looking to acquire the building and hand it off to developers.

Plans were to convert the school building into several dozen apartments and turn the land where George J. Vetter Stadium used to sit into lots for new homes.

"We are the legal entity that allows ownership to transfer from the existing owner to the new owner with a mortgage enforcement in place to ensure that development is going to happen," NORLIC Executive Director Andrea Klyczek said in September.

However, building owner 621 Payne LLC (run by Kevin Gersh and Sam Savarino) told me that while they appreciated the efforts to put a deal together, they declined because it did not work for them financially or practically.

Savarino tells me that they are working to assemble a development team to complete the "previously approved project" of converting the school building into 88 units of senior apartments, and theyre looking to approve plans for residential housing in the grass stadium lot.

The state, county, city and land bank worked very hard over an extended period of time with the existing owners and believed we had agreed on a plan that would have allowed for the transfer of the property and development of market-rate housing with the new developer, Klyczek said to me in a statement. As we were reaching the finish line, the existing ownership team, Kevin Gersh and Sam Savarino, apparently had a change of heart and decided to develop the property themselves.

Lowry Middle School served as North Tonawanda City Schools high school and, later, a middle school until 2004. Three years later, the district sold the property to Gersh, who briefly operated a school there.

Over the past 15 years, several redevelopment plans have fallen through, and it has continued to sit empty on Payne Avenue.

Considering current ownership has not moved the ball forward previously, we are concerned. However, if they are sincere this time, we will attempt to work with them, but we will also continue to explore all alternatives, if necessary, County Legislator Rich Andres said to me in a statement. The community needs to know all levels of government are closely monitoring this and committed to making something happen.

WATCH: 'Disappointed': Land bank acquisition of Lowry Middle School falls through; owners to develop property

We are relatively disappointed a little apprehensive, but we will be supportive of their efforts, Mayor Austin Tylec said. Moving forward over the next few months, based on milestones they may or may not hit. The city, and even possibly a state agency partner, may take a more aggressive approach to make sure something happens on that site.

Savarino told me that it is too early to predict a timeline for redevelopment. However, he expects the plans for a residential conversion of the stadium land to be submitted to the city council soon.